Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Alexander Stubb hold talks
Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted that the official visit of the Finnish President Alexander Stubb to Kazakhstan will give a new impetus to the development of bilateral ties, Kazinform News Agency reports citing the press service of Akorda.
“Your visit is of particular importance - this is a crucial and, in many ways, groundbreaking event that will give new impetus to the development of bilateral ties. Kazakhstan and Finland have established strong traditions of friendship and cooperation. We have no unresolved issues, and the potential for cooperation in investment and trade is far from exhausted. I believe that holding the business forum organized at your initiative is of great importance. I will also participate in it this afternoon. I hope it will inspire entrepreneurs from our countries to develop business ties. Furthermore, we maintain high-level humanitarian contacts. In general, Finland is very popular in Kazakhstan – our people respect your country, its culture, and traditions. Many Kazakh tourists enjoy visiting Finland. I am confident that your visit will open new opportunities for strengthening the partnership between our states,” said Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
For his part, Alexander Stubb said that this is his third visit to Kazakhstan.
He mentioned that he first met Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in 2008, when he was serving as Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Mr. Tokayev was the Speaker of the Senate.
“I suppose that today we will focus on two key areas. The first one is to develop our bilateral relations and business cooperation. I am accompanied by a large business delegation comprising of the representatives of more than 20 leading Finnish companies. It was nice to see familiar Finnish brands, such as Isku and Honkarakenne, on the streets of Astana. The second focus of our talks is foreign policy and security. We share many common interests, and we strive to find solutions to complex challenges,” Alexander Stubb said.
Earlier, it was reported that Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev welcomed his Finnish counterpart Alexander Stubb in the Akorda Residence.
Read more on the current stage of relations between Kazakhstan and Finland, and what to expect from the upcoming talks in a Kazinform correspondent's article.
